http://framingham.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/letter-should-the-framingham-planning-board-meet-on-a-jewish-holiday?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001&evar4=picks-1-post&newsRef=true
In that article, Sue Bernstein said, "Holding a public hearing on an such an
important religious holiday is extremely inappropriate."
Want to know something? I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is out of the Planning Board scheduling hearings on a Jewish Holiday.
I don’t believe that was done out to get the Jews, but rather most Town
officials (including myself) may not always be astute on when the various
religious holidays occurs.
THIS HAS HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES: I believe that in 2004 or 2005, the Board of
Selectmen held their Selectmen meeting on a Catholic Holy Day called HOLY
THURSDAY. If you are not familiar with Holy Thursday, it’s the Thursday just
before Easter Sunday. Anyway, back to the subject matter, There were a number
of Catholics who were upset over that Board of Selectmen Meeting scheduled for
Holy Thursday. After that, there were some Catholics when the Framingham
Schools scheduled classes on Good Friday. Good Friday is a Catholic Holiday
that occurs just before Easter Sunday. With that said, I would hope that
Catholics and other religious folks who wants their own religious holidays to
be respected would be up front in calling for the Town to respect all religious
holidays.
MY PROPOSED SOLUTION:
We have some official, perhaps from the Board of Selectmen Office, research on
when the various religious holidays occurs and the it would be OFFICIAL that NO
TOWN HEARINGS OCCURS ON THOSE HOLIDAYS. If necessary, the Town needs to reach
out to the religious leaders to find out on when these holidays occurs.
BOTTOM LINE:
I don’t want any more of these Official Town Related Meetings to be scheduled
on any religious holidays regardless of what religion such holidays occurs.
William LaBarge
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 16
I am speaking only for myself and not necessarily for anyone else